Have I been a fool...

[fromwesttoeast]

To rehome a kitten which I know has fleas?
Yesterday I brought home a 3 month black kitten from a friend who hasn't been able to rehome her cat's kittens. All her kittens and cat have a flea problem, and knowing this I am keeping him confined to the bathroom, have treated with spot on flea killer and used a repellent on my other cat. I am combing often and got a dead flea this morning.
Reading the other recent flea thread on here I am starting to worry! I wanted to rehome this little fella, but I really don't want fleas spreading.
What would you have done/do?

Get some vet strength flea killer tomorrow and keep in the bathroom until then?

We are all fools when faced with kittens needing a home, fleas or not!

Fleas seem to have been even worse this year, i have struggled getting rid of them from my cat even though i have used the flea treatment from the vet and expensive house spray. He should be fine in the bathroom for a few days.

hahahaha, probably my thread that put you off (Am very Sorry).

Local cat protection league seem to know what they are doing to get rid of fleas completely. It think it's a lot easier if you can confine the animal to one small room or a pen, even. Most the CPL cats live in pens for long periods before rehoming, it's not unreasonable.

Thanks everyone. Yes, lljkk it was your thread which started me panicking!!! I've been a cat owner before, but have managed to avoid getting fleas.
I will be taking him to the vet as he hasn't had a kitten check yet. I wonder whether he can get the vet strength treatment on top of what I've just given him (Bob martin)?
He will have to put up with being in the bathroom, and I will vacuum the landing obsessively just in case we transfer anything, such as eggs when we go in and out. Don't know how easily eggs can be spread like that. Fortunately he enjoys being combed!
Ahh, yes, I have been a fool, but as Silvery said, a kitten can easily do that to a person....especially the fluffy, cuddle on your lap sort....

please i know you used bob martins as an emergency but dont use it again, A it dosent work and recently people have been reporting that thier cats have been very ill using bob martins spot on, i dont want to panic you just saying whats been reported, as he likes being combed the best way of getting fleas off him is a bowl of water with a tiny bit washing up liquid in it, a flea comb, you comb the cat and dunk the comb with the fleas in the water, the fleas drown, this is what the rescue i work at does on young kittens, and being as you are keeping him in the bathroom spray a strip of carpet outside the bathroom with a vet bought household flea spray so any eggs that do drop will die anyway

My cat was very poorly after using bob martins spot on treatment, started foaming at the mouth , had to wash it off very fast (luckily my cat doesn't mind water), have heard of cats almost dying from bob martins.

there is a Bob Martin cat flea product which is (of course) safe for cats

but some dog flea products are not safe for cats, I think it is the permethrin insecticide which is harmless to dogs but very dangerous for cats.

They also make cat and dog tablets which are safe for both

You need to do lots and lots and lots of hoovering now.

Unfortunately the cat who brought fleas into our house hates being combed and is a determined scratcher. So we have to find another way.

Thanks for the info. I put the Bob Martins on him last night (it was the cat one) and he seems fine, so hopefully I got away with it this time.
I have been combing in the way you describe, issey, and have three slow moving (so dying?) fleas so far.
He is a fluffy black cat, although not really long haired I think. I am getting out white flecks when I comb. I can't determine their shape that well as my eyesight close up isn't good enough. Are these the eggs, or could they also be ordinary skin dust like we humans get? It looks similar as far as I can tell. There is lots more of the white flecks than the flea dirt. Would you expect more dirt or more eggs?

Also seems to be more flecks the more I comb....

I think fleas hop off to lay eggs so is likely to be cat dander as you say.

Really, really hope so Silvery.

yes it will be dandruff the fleas only feed on the cat and hop off to lay eggs maybe give him some oily fish and this will sleek up his skin and you will get less dander

Ok so you need a different flea product for all the cats. 'Repellants' do not work. You need a licensed flea product. The supermarket products have old fashioned drugs which rarely work and especially not in a true infestation. You need frontline plus or stronghold. That will provide some protection to the house too but the house will be quickly infested so you may need a household spray. Fleas carry worms so the kitten needs worming (and vaccinating) ASAP too. A trip to the vets needed and warning - a reasonable bill! You haven't been stupid but you need effective products to treat and no kitten is cheap!

Ps flea eggs to small to see so that is dandruff but the fleas will be laying eggs in the carpet I am afraid!

Really, Samvet, they will be in the carpets even though he has not been in a carpeted room? I took him in the pet carrier straight up to the bathroom and he hasn't left that room. Will a flea have hopped under the door? I intend getting a proper spay to do the landing tomorrow.
I have continued to comb and am now finding very little flea dirt and no more fleas after the first three. Thankfully he is very compliant and totally relaxes when I comb him.
I will be taking him to the vet for all the routine kitten requirements. Its a viscous circle isn't it.

I have hoovered round the bathroom as well this afternoon by the way.

Combed this morning and coat is clear of flea dirt. Threw out old bedding and washed out the pet carrier he sleeps in (carrier door left open). Vet appointment for 11:30. Will vacuum after poorly toddler wakes up.
Can I start to hope yet???

You can certainly hope fromwesttoeast but I would also do as Samvet suggested and get a household spray - as well as the vacuum becoming your best friend. (You'll become a positive Stepford Wife!) Remember that even though your cat may not have been near any carpet, fleas can travel - and also, you could carry them/eggs on shoes, clothes and slippers with them subsequently dropping off.

By the way - you can have a completely flea-less household and then bring in fleas/eggs yourself by all sorts of means. So you could get them at any time even with a pure housecat and without a new cat coming on board. It might be a good idea to warn your friend if you can do it tactfully and without apparent accusation. She's likely riddled with the blighters.

Best of luck.

Just back from the vet, and he was surprisingly reassuring! The Bob Martin product I used was Flea Clear which has Fipronil as the active ingredient. Vet seemed to think that would do the job and did not prescribe anything else. He also seemed to think that the chances of fleas having spread was fairly low, pheww.
Kitten got his vaccs/worming too.
I will remain vigilant of course and take the precautionary measures advised, but if his coat is still clear of flea dirt tomorrow morning then he should be fine to come out of the bathroom.
Hoping!

the more persistent flea drops actually help clear the carpets, because the fleas hop back onto the cat when hungry, and then get killed.

hungry fleas in the carpet will jump up when you walk past and bite your ankles.